Mailbag: Man put his mark on Newport Beach

The passing of Albert Auer on June 6 leaves a great void in the heart of Newport Beach.

It was Al, who during his 13 years as vice president of the Commercial Division of Irvine Co., brought Newport Center — perhaps Orange County’s premier office, retail, hotel, cinema, restaurant, medical and financial complex — to life.

Al, with his quick smile and warm handshake, loved the Newport Center he created — and the tenants of Irvine Co. buildings and the owners of the other buildings loved Al.

And Al, with his open demeanor and honest relationships, cherished the Fashion Island he created — and the merchants loved Al.

Indelibly placing his mark on Newport Beach, Al served on the board of directors of Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian for 31 years, and was chairman of the board for many years during Hoag’s transformation from a community hospital to a regional medical center.

As director of public relations for Irvine Co. for a number of the years during which Al headed the Commercial Division, it was my great pleasure to work closely with Al on these projects, and Al was one of the finest executives with whom it was ever my pleasure to work.

Yes, the passing of Albert Auer does leave a great void in the heart on Newport Beach.

Martin A. Brower

Corona del Mar

Where’s coverage on Corona del Mar 5K?

I’ve been reading the Pilot for about 40 years, so I guess I’m a slow learner. But what happened to the Pilot’s coverage of the Corona Del Mar 5K on June 5? Are we at a point where “Media Sponsor” (yes, the Pilot was the media sponsor for the 5K) means that the Pilot gets its logo on a website and a T-shirt, and that’s all that matters?

Including runners, walkers, and those watching the event, there had to be more than 5,000 people, plus the involvement of about 10 local restaurants, etc. What’s the deal?

I just looked again at the June 6 edition of the Pilot, and it’s hard to understand the priorities being given to the coverage by the Pilot. While all of the Pilot’s articles on June 6 were noteworthy, it’s still hard to believe the exclusion of the CdM 5K. Some of the articles could have been run any day this week, and should not have excluded the CdM 5K, which involved so many local residents and businesses.

If the Daily Pilot cannot cover the event, step aside and let the OC Register be the media sponsor.

Robby Conn

Newport Beach